Choices and experiences in learning languages

Here are some of the languages I am learning or shall learn.

German

I’d like to read German literature and visit Germany someday. Originally I studied it as an elective in school. It was very fun—my teacher grew up in Germany, and she’d tell this young American audience all about the country—how they had a shopping street called Der Zeil, were blunt but loyal friends, earned money for recycling, ate white asparagus, made politically satirical parade floats for Karneval, and so on. So in addition to the perk of German literature, I associate it with fond memories.

Latin

I’d like to read Roman literature. Virgil, Juvenal, the works. I also find the sound and grammar beautiful, and think it will supplement my interest in Roman history.

Experience

Latin has been a very difficult language. Besides the fact that its verbs have dozens of endings, it is difficult simply because of the dearth of Latin resources. Every serious Latin learner knows the titles “Wheelock”, “Cambridge”, and “L.L.P.S.I.” because they are pretty much the only reputable Latin textbooks out there. Latin websites and YouTubers are extremely rare. Maintaining interest in a language this obscure can be hard over time; the only real reason to learn it is to read poems and plays by people who have been dead for hundreds or thousands of years.

Understanding Latin and speaking it are two different things. Because it’s rarely spoken, many teachers and textbooks treat it like an algorithm one needs to decode, rather than something to greet someone in, or chat about life in. Therefore, even if you find someone who “understands” Latin, chances are you won’t be able to speak to them. Most people who speak it are either professors, monks, or history buffs.

Russian

I have many reasons to learn this one. I have interests in books and classical piano; some of the most lauded authors in the world (Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky) are from Russia, as the most famous composers and pianists (Shostakovich, Rachmaninoff, Horowitz, Tchaikovsky.) Russian is also my favorite language for its sound and grammar. But unlike the other Slavic languages (which I also like), it’s spoken by many people. So, a rich culture, a nice sound, and plethora of speakers—all very convenient for me.

Experience

Russian verbs, stress shifts, and consonant mutations can be confusing at first, but you’ll grow used to most of them over time. Russian cursive also isn’t as difficult as people on the Internet like to say it is. Personally, the hardest long-term challenge of the language has been keeping track of all the prefixes and perfective forms verbs can have.

It is an abundant language in terms of resources. There are probably hundreds of Russian graded readers and textbooks (these being my favorite), and a lot of books and websites have been (and still are) made in Russian. The yields of learning it are very rich; not only because of the artists I mentioned earlier, but because it’s spoken a lot in general. The Russian-speaking internet is considerably large; in 2013, it was the second most spoken language online. Also, even if you never meet any Russian speakers, learning Russian will help you understand considerable amounts of Serbian, Ukrainian, Polish, and so on. (Although learning Interslavic is better for that purpose.)

Learning Russian solely to read Dostoyevsky is not worth it. His prose is dense and very antiquated, and foreigners only understand his writing after studying intensely for six or seven years; but even then, they need help. I once met a native speaker who said she reads Dostoyevsky in English instead just because it’s easier.

I have heard stories online of people recieving comments about “supporting imperialism/the war” when they say they’re learning Russian. In my experience, though, this has never happened. Most people offline are pretty normal about it. Depending on where you live, though, things may be different.

Vietnamese

My parents are from Vietnam and they’re planning to take me to the old country soon. Moreover, as a Vietnamese-American, I dine, shop, celebrate holidays, and generally hang out in places where people expect me to speak the language. It’s almost shameful when I cannot, and even more so that I can speak Russian and German better.



Back

Page created April 13, 2024. Last updated July 3, 2024.